Bear

a beautiful, simple Markdown note-taking app

4.6•35 reviews•

1.1K followers

a beautiful, simple Markdown note-taking app

4.6•35 reviews•

1.1K followers

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Note and writing apps

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Writing assistants

Bear is a beautiful, powerfully simple Markdown note taking app to capture, write, and organize your life. Take notes, plan your day, journal thoughts, organize tables, create lists and tasks, sketch ideas, link notes together, write a book, and much more. Bear is used by writers, lawyers, chefs, CEOs, teachers, doctors, engineers, students, parents... you get the picture. Getting started couldn't be faster—no signup and no account. Just open a note and write naturally.

Bear Reviews

The community submitted 35 reviews to tell us what they like about Bear, what Bear can do better, and more.

4.6

Based on 35 reviews

Review Bear?

Bear earns praise for its beautiful, low-friction writing flow, fast startup, and thoughtful Markdown, with many longtime users calling it their daily notes hub. The latest update adds backlinks, tables, cleaner markup, and strong export—improving organization without bloat. Makers of

Listy

value it for simple to-dos, while makers of

OpenNotas

applaud usability but note the lack of true multi-platform support. Critical feedback centers on Bear 2’s WYSIWYG direction, limited cross-platform/web options, and hashtag clutter for those who prefer folders. Overall: delightful, polished, Apple-first.

+29

Summarized with AI

Pros

beautiful design (12)

simple interface (12)

markdown support (7)

apple ecosystem integration (4)

fast performance (4)

backlinks (3)

export options (2)

ios compatibility (2)

reasonable subscription cost (2)

Cons

limited cross-platform support (3)

no web version (3)

wysiwyg editor issues (2)

Pros

Cons

Reviews

All Reviews

Most Informative

Founder Reviews (17)

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Other Reviews (18)

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•1 review

I switched to Bear from Agenda and it’s one of 5 core apps for my “second brain”. I can’t wait for this to finally come out.

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1 view2yr ago

•1 review

Solid app that’s here to stay. The team is focused on making a simply great note taking app, nothing more. The community of users values that. No bells and whistles, no promise to change the world (and eat all the competitors), no venture capitalists to satisfy…

What's great

simple interface (12)

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2 views2yr ago

•1 review

Historically I have liked Bear, but I've been waiting for a web version for almost five years as my work is split between Mac and Windows. The fact that Bear 2 is launching still with no web version or even an update in the blog post on if it's still coming feels like such a slap in the face. Some of us have been waiting half a decade for a web version, being told in December 2019 "it's coming along well" and then another update six months later on Reddit saying that an editor update is needed before they can give an ETA. It's 2023, if the web version isn't coming then please just let us know so I can officially abandon this app and commit to Obsidian for good. If cross-platform is important or integral to you I cannot in good conscience recommend Bear anymore.

What needs improvement

no web version (3)limited cross-platform support (3)

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7 views2yr ago

•4 reviews

Great app for taking notes, storing info you want to get to later. Just have never liked the hashtag organization, would rather have folders with notes inside of it (ala Craft docs). Hashtags end up getting horrifically cluttered.

What needs improvement

tags and hashtags (1)

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4 views2yr ago

•3 reviews

I have * Drafts * iAWriter * Standard Notes And from time to time I use Craft - which is a strange animal that I am never sure I like - and I keep deleting the content and then resurrecting it. One of the things I am not so fond of in Craft is that it seems to regard each paragraph of writing as a separate block. It is possible to highlight multiple paragraphs and delete them in one action, but somehow I am not keen on the look of it. So why would I want another note taking app? I am attracted to note-taking apps. So Bear it is. Question: Is there a way to see the time stamp on a note in Bear? Sometimes I look back on older notes and want to know when I wrote them. Answer - Well it is easy to add the current date to a note - see the info under the DATES section here >> https://bear.app/faq/

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4 views2yr ago

•1 review

I absolutely LOVE Bear. I used it in the past and it was fantastic. However, as my time is split between Windows and macOS, the fact that there is not a Windows app, no less a web app, sucks. I'd happily start using Bear again if I could use it across both devices.

What needs improvement

no web version (3)no windows support (1)

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1 view2yr ago

•1 review

Before I begin my review, I advise potential users to avoid the whiny reviews. Bear's creators directly interact with their users and are unusually transparent. They are always upfront that they are a small team, so it takes them longer to create an impeccable product. Their high standards are actually admirable; I've never had any type of glitches with Bear 1. I am excited about Bear 2's upcoming release. I'll be a Bear subscriber until I die or the company disappears. This has been the only app I've been subscribed to since my first iPhone. It's been the only app that has helped me tremendously with my severe ADHD. So if I may, I'd like to go a bit more into detail at just how much I love this app, and how it's become a daily Perhaps because Bear creators are so approachable, some users become impatient and self-entitled like Jack Perry's review below mine. I believe those reviews show just how amazing the Bear app is because people want more and more uses out of it, more than what it was created to be. And that is what I love about this app: its versatility. Bear is a note-taking app or writing app, a beautiful one at that. It has been the only app where I have been able to keep my notes organized. Their system of hashtags is brilliantly simple. Even better? You can use more than 1 hashtag, and your note will show up in both searches. Their Apple Watch app is perfect for quickly dictating ideas that bounce around in my head; it'll even transcribe my hashtags, so my notes are already organized in my IOS app. It also flawlessly syncs in all of my Apple products. I write everything in it. Email drafts, notes, assignment notes, musings, etc. Like I earlier stated, their hashtag system allows a note to be organized under 2 topics. For my graduate class, I just wrapped up taking [#literarytheory] All assignments, ideas, and notes for this class had this hashtag. I then used a secondary hashtag to organize them more. Throughout various chapters I took a lot of notes on Sigmund Freud, so those notes had the [#freud]. One search of [#freud], and I am able to easily see all of my notes in the search. Being able to quickly type the hashtags is awesome; the quickest way I've ever found to organize notes, even as you type! Their website has more effective ways of organizing notes, but the versatility is key. Those more complex #hashtag hierarchies wouldn't work for me, but the aforementioned one does. It's adjustable to the user. Anyways, it's rare to find a company who stands so firmly behind their product and who refuses to rush and release an inferior product just for monetary gain. I've seen that happen too much. That's why I was fine waiting for Bear 2 and am super excited about its upcoming launch! Bear app is exactly what it advertises itself to be, and I recommend it. :)

What's great

beautiful design (12)apple ecosystem integration (4)ios compatibility (2)icloud sync (1)tags and hashtags (1)

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9 views2yr ago

•3 reviews

The long awaited Bear 2 is out. And it's smooth like butter. Personally, I'm torn between Apple Notes & Bear. If Apple notes had mark down like bear does, it would be a difficult decision. But, time and time again - I find it easier to reach out for Bear to quickly jot down notes.

What's great

fast performance (4)markdown support (7)

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2yr ago

•1 review

This app is as close to perfection as any app I've ever used. Elegant, super fast, polished, just an absolute joy to use. I've used this since I graduated from medical school 5 years ago. 1629 notes later and all my work and life is catalogued in Bear -- using it right now to study for my final boards exam in two days. The developers are true craftspeople who have created something remarkable.

What's great

fast performance (4)simple interface (12)beautiful design (12)

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4 views2yr ago

•3 reviews

New user and I absolutely love it! The aesthetic is on point, with multiple options for themes that truly enhance the visual experience. It's a simple and intuitive app that has all the necessary features for note-taking. Personally, I use it for my poetry writing and drafting before transferring it elsewhere. The ability to export to PDF, HTML, TXT, RFT and other formats is super convenient. Additionally, the lock feature and encryption not on outside but in the app provide added security, which initially caught my attention and prompted me to upgrade to the pro version. I firmly believe in supporting companies that have developed and continue to develop apps or services...and their brilliant brains. Great job, guys! You've definitely won me over. Oh, and did I mention I'm learning code and web design? This app will undoubtedly be a valuable resource for that too. Since the upgrade, the cleaner markup has made me even happier. It's a steal of a deal! edit sooo happy about the fonts toooooooo hehe

What's great

simple interface (12)encryption (1)export options (2)beautiful design (12)reasonable subscription cost (2)

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12 views2yr ago